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Delicious Danger? A Research Update on Artificial Sweeteners - How Sweet Are They?
Except for sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners are high intensity because they are sweeter than table sugar (sucrose).
NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Has more than 2% of the calories contained in an equivalent amount of sugar.
• aspartame (Equal®, and Sugar Twin®), about 200 times sweeter than table sugar
NONNUTRITIVE SWEETENERS
Have less than 2% of the calories contained in an equivalent amount of sugar.
• acesulfame-K (Sunett® and Sweet One®), 200 times sweeter than table sugar
• saccharin (Sweet’N Low® and Necta Sweet®), 200–700 times sweeter
• sucralose (Splenda®), about 600 times sweeter
• stevia (plant-based), 200–400 times sweeter
• neotame (Newtame®), about 7,000–13,000 times sweeter
SUGAR ALCOHOLS
25%–100% as sweet as sugar
• sorbitol
• xylitol
Sources: FDA 2014; FDA 2018.
Obesity: An Unexpected Aftermath
Ironically, despite the common belief that using artificial sweeteners as a substitute for glucose (sugar) helps to control body weight, a cohort study of over 1,400 participants linked increases in body mass index and waist circumference to AS consumption (Chia et al. 2016). Many participants in AS studies tended to overcompensate by eating more food. In fact, if people were aware that their diets contained AS, their caloric intake was higher than that of control group members.
The connection between obesity and AS intake is believed to be related to the separation of caloric intake from sweet taste, which may stimulate appetite, causing higher food consumption. Higher caloric intake deregulates energy homeostasis (Malik, Schulze & Hu 2006).
Potential mechanisms causing weight gain in AS consumers include a stronger preference for sweet taste, imbalances in intestinal microflora and stimulation of fat-tissue growth. Also, intake of AS-containing diet beverages together with sugar-containing foods modifies insulin production and gastric emptying. This process causes sugar to be absorbed faster, stimulating appetite and weight gain (Romo-Romo et al. 2017). Besides, sweetened beverages are less satiating than solid food, and consumption of artificially sweetened beverages has grown exponentially (Mattes & Popkin 2009).
Furthermore, AS activate the incretins, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP)—several hormones that increase insulin production, in turn stimulating feelings of hunger (Egan & Margolskee 2008).
Thank you, Kathy Carver, Group Fitness Coordinator, for sharing this.
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